Just A
by Cheerful-Pessimist
Summary: Renton has gotta kiss Eureka before midnight. RentonEureka


Hello everyone /waves/ I am back with a short fic. to celebrate the beginning of a new year. Yep, Happy New Year everybody and may it be a good one.

_**Disclaimer:**__ Do. Not. Own._

* * *

_1 minute to midnight, 1 minute to go_

_1 minute to say good-bye before we say hello_

_Let's start the new year right, twelve o'clock tonight_

_When they dim the light, let's begin_

_Kissing the old year out_

_Kissing the new year in_

_Let's watch the old year die with a fond good-bye_

_And our hopes as high as a kite_

_How can our love go wrong if_

_We start the new year right?_

Irving Berlin

--

**Just A…**

It was just a dare. Renton told himself. _A challenge to prove courage_ or _an act of daring or defiance_ depending on which definition you wanted to use.Right. Not even he would believe that. It wasn't just _any_ dare, it was The Dare. His pride (or stupidity depending on opinions) was on the line and he was moments away from what could be a disaster.

Renton wiped his sweaty hands on his pants and prayed frantically to whatever greater being was watching over him to, for the love of God, let this all work out.

--

It started with a tradition. A dare.

There was one tradition on Gekkostate that Renton had been informed of the previous day by Matt and Stoner. This was that every year a member of the crew would be given a New Year's Dare which they had the complete before midnight on New Year's Eve.

And since Renton was the newest member, Stoner had said rather seriously, he was obliged to do the dare. This Renton found quite understandable and since it was a tradition he would do it he had said. Upon hearing this Stoner had exchange a look with Matt before continuing. _The two of us are in charge of your dare_, he said. _And if you are to fail in completing the dare_ it is us you will have to deal with.

_So what is it?_ Renton had asked, fighting down fear.

_Renton, your dare is to get Eureka to kiss you before midnight tomorrow,_ Stoner said. _And_, Matt chimed in, _if you don't succeed you have to do our chores for the next month. 'Kay._

Stoner had pat Renton on the head while grinning at the shocked look on the boy's face, _Good luck kid._

Renton swayed slightly where he stood in the corridor as he watched to men leave. Did anyone else get the feeling someone higher up enjoyed seeing him suffer?

--

And so Renton found himself on New Year's Eve surrounded by drunken Gekkostate members and still without a kiss from Eureka. It wasn't that he wasn't trying, it's just there are only so many hints one can give about these kinds of matters. And he wasn't going to jump her or something just for a dare.

Only in very important circumstances would he do that.

Matt and Stoner weren't helping much either. Always nearby when Renton tried to complete his dare watching his attempts carefully. Like an audience watching a performer trying to remember there lines. And it wasn't helping one bit.

Now fifteen minutes to midnight, Renton was starting to panic and he could swear Matt and Stoner were happily coming to the decision that he had lost the bet because they were busy toasting with their wine glasses in a corner.

Stepping over an intoxicated Talho on the floor he went outside in search of Eureka and found her sitting in the shade of the ship watching the kids play. Renton wandered over to where she was and sat down beside her.

"Hey Eureka."

"Hello Renton." She answered softly still intensely watching the kids play. "The skyfish are out."

Renton looked out to where the kids were and noticed for the first time that they were playing among skyfish. "Yeah, yeah they are."

Eureka place her hand over his, smiling as a skyfish darted out of Linck's reach. Renton glanced down at their hands feeling his face become hot.

_Maybe_, he thought, _maybe I can do this_.

Then Renton realised that the kids were counting down

…_Six_…_Five_…

Everyone else had joined in now

…_four_…_three_…

Renton silently groaned he'd lost the bet for sure

…_two_…_one_

The fireworks commandeered by Ken-Goh went off and everyone cheered for the beginning of a New Year. Eureka shifted beside Renton to look at him, a bright smile on her face.

"Happy New Year," she said softly and without further ado gave him a peck on the check. Anyone catch that one camera? Renton blinked rapidly as Eureka leaned away and got up to answer the annoying cries of "Mama, mama, look at this" giving a sweet smile over her shoulder as she went over to where the kids were.

Moments later Matt and Stoner sidled over to him, Matt tapping Renton's chin to tell him to shut his gaping mouth. "Impressive." Stoner said, lighting a cigarette, "Didn't think you could do it."

Matt nodded, "But you were outside of the time limit so…"

"Looks like you're doing our chores for the month after all," Stoner finished, blowing a smoke ring, "Tough luck kid."

Renton didn't noticed them leaving to busy watching Eureka play with the kids as a hand touched his check. _Extra chores for a month, huh?_ He thought to himself while admiring how Eureka's blue hair shone in the moonlight, _That's not to bad a trade for a kiss._

_

* * *

Fin._

Yes, so I've decided to be nicer to Renton than last time – to anybody who hasn't read _It Sucks_ go read it now, it's my favourite fic and consists of Renton getting covered in spaghetti – and he does manage to get a kiss this time, yay. So anyway I'll see you all in the New Year with hopefully less procrastinating and more fics.

Happy New Year and goodbye 2007

- C.Pess


End file.
